Zippered Pouch Tutorial

Today I’m going to use the Husqvarna Viking Opal 690Q to show you a zippered pouch tutorial. You can modify this pattern to make any size pouch that fits your needs. It’s so easy and there are so many fabric options, that you’ll find yourself making a customized one for each of your friends. I already have requests to make more!

Zippered fabric pouch

Several weeks ago, I posted a Tutorial on Making Fabric Journal Covers and I promised to post pictures. I received this from Donna. I guess the rest of you are shy? Don’t forget to send in pictures so we can see what you have created.

Outside of Donna’s Fabric Journal cover

The inside of Donna’s Fabric Journal CoverThanks for sharing Donna!

Requirements for the Zippered Fabric Pouch

TWO – 10″ by 8″ rectangles of outer fabric

ONE – 2″ by 4″ rectangle of outer fabric (for the zipper)

TWO – 10″ by 8″ rectangles for the lining

TWO – 10″ by 8″ rectangles of interfacing

ONE – 9 1/2″ zipper (20 CM)

ONE – Fabric tag (that we made last time)

Supplies needed for the Zippered Fabric Pouch

Step One – Fusing

Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the outer fabric. Alternatively you can fuse the interfacing to the lining especially if the outer fabric is pieced or is of a heavier weight than quilting cotton.

TIP I often have to use the hottest setting on my iron in order to get the interfacing to stick properly. Make sure it is well adhered over the entire surface. The interfacing gives the bag some body and without it or without it being well adhered, the bag can look wimpy.

Interfacing fused onto the wrong side of the outer fabric

Step Two – Prepare the Zipper

Take the 2″ by 4″ piece of outer fabric and fold in half lengthwise (wrong sides together) and press.

Open the pressed edges and now take the long raw edges and line them both up to the center line and press.

The outer edges of the 2″ by 4″ piece are now folded into the center line

Now one last fold – fold the piece in half along the center fold. You now have a long narrow unit. The raw edges are tucked inside – the piece is four layers thick.

The 2″ by 4″ piece of outer fabric folded three times

Tuck the end of the zipper into one edge of the folder unit. Top stitch along the open end to secure the zipper in place. Repeat the process on the other end of the zipper. Be careful when you insert the end with the zipper pull. Make sure the two edges of the zipper are lined up.

The zipper is tucked in between the folds of the small tab. Top stitch along the open edge.

Trim the ends of the zipper tabs so they are flush with the edge of the zipper tape.

The zipper unit is now ready to sew into the zippered fabric pouch.

If the ends of the zipper tape are too long – simply cut them off before you stitch the fabric tab to the end of the zipper. If your zipper is too long, cut the zipper at the length you want and sew the zipper tab to the end. This will act as a stopper.

The ends of the zipper are too long. Cut them off to fit the zipper tab.

The ends of the zipper have been trimmed and now fit nicely inside the zipper tab.

The zipper tape at the other end is also too long. Just trim them off so the end of the zipper fits nicely into the zipper tab.

Step Three – Insert the zipper

Lay the zipper face down on the right side along the 10″ side of the outer fabric. You may want to baste the zipper in place. Take the lining and lay it on top of the outer fabric – rights sides together. The zipper will be sandwiched in between the two layers. Make sure the zipper is centered along that edge. Carefully stitch through all three layers using the zipper foot.

The zipper unit is placed face down on the outer fabric. The lining will go on top of these two pieces – right sides together.

Press the seam towards the outer fabric.

The zipper is sandwiched between the lining and the outer fabric

Lay the remaining edge of the zipper face down on the right side of the last piece of outer fabric. Baste the zipper if you need. Take the lining and lay it on top of the outer piece. Right sides are together. The zipper is now sandwiched between these two layers. Make sure the zipper is centered along that edge and that the raw edges of ALL four pieces are lined up. Carefully stitch through all three layers using the zipper foot.

The unstitched edge of the zipper tape is lined up with the edge of the second outer fabric piece. Lay the other piece of lining on top of these pieces with rights sides together.

Place the right side of the lining face down on the two pieces as shown in the diagram above.

Both sides of the zipper are now sewn between the lining and outer fabric of the two sides of the zippered pouch.

The lining view of the zipper

I like to do a very narrow row of top stitching – very close to the edge of the zipper. Gives it a much crisper look to the zipper.

Step Four – Cut the Corners!

Cut out the spacing for the corners. This will give you a nice flat bottom bag. Mark the pouch top – I cut 1 1/4″ from each corner. Make sure you are cutting through BOTH the pouch top and lining. I marked with a pencil and used scissors to make the cuts. Make sure you cut from all FOUR corners of the pouch.

A 1 1/4″ square from each corner.

Step Five – The Side Seams

Lay out the bag with the two outer layers right sides together and the two lining pieces right sides together. Stitch along the four sides (but NOT into the corner cuts). Leave an opening on the bottom of the lining so you can turn the pouch inside out.

If you made the personalized labels, insert one into the side seam before you sew them.

Carefully line up the center where the zipper is. You want that intersection to be nice and smooth.

NOTE: OPEN THE ZIPPER or you will not be able to turn the pouch inside out.

Match up the lining to the lining and the outer fabric to the outer fabric.

The side seams are sewn, as well as the top and bottom. Note there is a gap in the lining material so you can turn the bag inside out.

Step Six – Stitch the corners

Bring the cut corners together – reversing the side seams in the opposite direction. Stitch across that seam. I reinforce this seam by stitching it twice. Repeat for all four corners.

Match up a side seam and the bottom seam at the cut corner. Push the seam allowances in opposite direction and stitch.

The bottom bag corner is stitched

Step Seven – Turn the bag inside out

Turn the bag inside out and inspect your handiwork. Is the tag in the right direction? How did the matching go at the zipper ends? If you are happy – there is one last step.

Step Eight – Close the opening in the lining

While you could close the opening in the lining by hand, it’s just as easy to use the sewing machine to stitch that opening closed. It’s in the bottom of the pouch after all and will probably never be seen.

Stitch the opening in the lining by machine

The FINISHED Zippered Fabric Pouch

Zippered Fabric Pouch

The customized ribbon tag made on the Husqvarna Viking Opal 690Q. I just LOVE that tag.

This method of inserting a zipper is fool proof and it looks good too!

Now wasn’t that easy? Get your materials and make your own bag.

Remember you can modify the sizes that I gave you to whatever size and shape you want. This was so easy to make on the Husqvarna Viking Opal 690Q. I used many features of the machine.

I hope you enjoy the zippered pouch tutorial. Send me pictures and I’ll be sure to post them on the blog.

Elaine Theriault is a teacher, writer and pattern designer who is completely obsessed with quilting. Elaine’s Tech Tips column (originally published in A Needle Pulling Thread magazine) is now available online in e-book format at QUILTsocial.com.
When not quilting, she enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Lexi and Murphy, or can be found cycling across the country. Her blog is crazyquilteronabike.blogspot.com.